How to Look Better by Living with Joy

“. . . few and bad have been the days of the years of my life . . .” (Beresheis/Genesis 47:9).

This is Jacob’s answer to Pharaoh’s question as to how old he is. Not exactly what you would expect from one of the spiritual giants of history.

This coming Sabbath Parshas Vayigash is read. In it the brothers have learned their lesson when Judah steps forward to take Benjamin’s place as a slave. Overcome with emotion Josef clears the room and reveals himself to his brothers. He convinces them to bring Jacob and their households to Egypt where he will take care of them. At first Jacob does not believe his sons when they say Josef is still alive. However, the brothers finally convince him and they load up the wagons and move to Egypt where they settle in Goshen. (It seems some hillbillies did something similar several millennia later with a truck and Beverly Hills.)

The people of Egypt spend all of their money buying food then sell their animals, land, and finally themselves so that they will live. Only the priests are exempt.

The Results of Jacob Complaining

As I noted in my post a couple of weeks ago, Jacob had a lot of challenges in his life. But why would he say so when being introduced to the King of Egypt? The Daas Zkeinim, citing the Midrash, states that for making such a negative statement to Pharaoh, Jacob lived thirty-three fewer years than his father Isaac, which correspond to the thirty-three words in Beresheis/Genesis 47:8-9.

Simply Being Alive is Reason for Joy

Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz would cite this same Midrash when explaining that despite having many difficulties, you must gain a tremendous appreciation for life and live with joy. He made it clear that if you daily experience the delight of living you will be able to perceive your struggles as trivial matters.

Going further, Rav Chaim explained that the meaning of the Midrash for Eicha/Lamentations is that life itself is a sufficient reason to abstain from complaining and experience joy. As an example, if you were drying a glass and accidently dropped it you would be annoyed. But if someone at the moment you dropped it told you that you had won a multi-million dollar lottery the incident of the glass would be meaningless. The euphoria of the news would overshadow the loss. So too, simply being alive should eclipse life’s burdens.

A Smile is a Free Facelift

When you feel the inherent joy of life, complaints or annoyance when things do not go your way will be meaningless. Writes the Daas Zkeinim Paroh asked his question because Jacob looked older than his age. Hopefully, you can avoid such a fate by remembering the first words the Sages decreed should be spoken upon awakening each morning, “I gratefully thank You, O living and eternal King, for You have returned my soul within me with compassion – abundant is Your faithfulness!”

Question – How do you instill joy into your life? Please leave a comment below.

Every year beginning on Simchas Torah, the cycle of reading the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, ends and begins again. Each Sabbath a portion known as a sedra or parsha is read. It is named after the first significant word or two with which this weekly reading begins.

What verse in the Old Testament would you like to know more about? Ask a question and I will answer it in a future Parsha Nugget!